It’s time for the NHL to do the right thing and suspend operations until the coronavirus is under control and the world is better equipped to deal with it.
Last night was an eye-opening experience. The novel coronavirus has put the entire world on notice. Late on Wednesday night, the NBA decided to indefinitely suspend the rest of their season after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The NCAA has already announced they will have tournament games without fans. It’s time for the NHL to make their decision.
That decision should be a very easy one. The NHL needs to indefinitely suspend its season, just like the NBA. While the league isn’t known for being ahead of other leagues, the NBA waited until someone tested positive.
Suspending the season makes all the sense in the world right now. The NHL has already released a statement, saying there will be more information on Thursday.
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While the season shouldn’t be canceled yet, hockey needs to be postponed until North America is better equipped to handle the novel coronavirus. As of Wednesday, 125,000 cases have been reported to the World Health Organization. It’s serious enough for United States President Donald Trump to suspend travel for non-United States citizens from Europe to the USA.
What makes the novel coronavirus so frightening is how quickly it spreads. At this point, it’s quite likely someone who is in contact with hockey players has already been exposed to the novel coronavirus.
Think about it. Multiple hockey teams share an arena with an NBA team. An NBA player has already tested positive for COVID-19. With how quickly the novel coronavirus spreads, it’s not hard to imagine a lot of people getting exposed to it. The World Health Organization has already declared it to be a global pandemic.
When dealing with something like the novel coronavirus, it’s a lot better to be safe than sorry. Maybe it goes away quickly and the league can still play through most of its regular season. It’s possible it doesn’t go away quickly.
But right now, sports are pretty darn inconsequential. The safety of human beings is what matters most. With multiple states banning public gatherings, it’s best for everyone if the season gets put on hold.
UPDATE (9:54 a.m. EST): The league has advised teams to not participate in morning skates, team practices, or meetings on Thursday. Also, Emily Kaplan of ESPN is reporting there will be a call with the Board of Governors at 1:00 p.m. EST.
UPDATE (11:32 a.m. EST): According to Pierre LeBrun, On-ice officials have been informed to return home.
UPDATE: The NHL has officially postponed its season.
For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.